Gozo: The Chapel in the Basilica and the Citadel

The Chapel in the Basilica The Basilica of Ta’ Pinu was built on the site of an older chapel. Local legend says that Carmela Grima would stop at the chapel every day to pray. One day she was in a hurry and wasn’t going to stop. She heard a voice telling her to visit because it would be the last chance for her to do so in a long time. A short time later, she became ill and was unable to leave her home. People heard the story, and other stories about miracles attributed to the site began to pop up. It became such an important pilgrimage site, that the community decided to dedicate the spot to the Virgin Mary. In order to build the new church building, they were going to have to tear the old chapel down. However, the first worker to remove the first stone broke his arm in doing so. Taking that as a sign, the old chapel was incorporated into the new basilica. Across the way from the Basilica is the Via Cruces, a road that has several statues depicting the crucifixion of Christ.

“All roads in Gozo lead to Victoria.”

In 1551, Dragut Reis was part of the Turkish invasion that enslaved over 5,000 Gozitans. The Turks, however, couldn’t take Cittadella. The castle, which has been fortified against pirates and the Turks, stands above Rabat, or Victoria.

When the church was being built, there wasn’t enough money to finish the dome. As a stop gap measure, an artist painted the inside of the church as if it had a dome. The trompe l’oeil was so well done that the church decided to keep it rather than build a dome.

The difference that Cittadella offers to other European castles is that it is clear that this is still a living area. Ruins that abound over the rest of Europe are used, lived in and loved by the peope of Malta and Gozo. Cittadella provides a good example of an historic place that is still relevant and lived in.